Thumbs up, thumbs down

Cheers and jeers from Editorial staff

Thumbs up for the Open Door Mission for again hosting a Super Bowl viewing party this year for the city's homeless. The West Main Street shelter has opened its doors on Super Bowl Sunday for the past 14 years.

Thumbs up for Linda James for this week receiving the state's highest public service award. The program supervisor at the Family Resource Centers of Crestwood Children's Centers was honored with the New York State African-American Public Service Award. It's not the first such honor for the longtime Rochester caregiver. In 2007, she received the Kinship Advocacy Award from the Child Welfare League of America.

Thumbs down for Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin for comparing Gov. Andrew Cuomo's legislating tactics to those of Hitler. Discussing last month's hastily passed anti-firearm legislation, the Albany-area Republican said, "Hitler would be proud." After condemnation from both parties, the legislator apologized. McLaughlin isn't the first Cuomo critic to reach for a Hitler reference. Like others, he obscured a valid argument by doing so.

Thumbs up for the Rochester City Police Department for launching a Facebook page. It's the latest way in which the department, which already has a phone app and a Twitter account, is increasing its community outreach.

Thumbs up for the Rochester Police Locust Club for helping raise $12,750 for police officers affected by Hurricane Sandy. The union members gathered donations from fellow officers and their supporters in Rochester, Syracuse and Buffalo, and presented a check to the National Association of Police Organizations relief fund.

Thumbs down for the New York State Court of Appeals for ruling this week that even though health clubs are required to have defibrillators in-house, and staff trained to use them, they are not obligated to assist stricken members. Why mandate the expense of machinery and trained personnel if there is no necessity for a response? Only in New York.

Thumbs up for middle and high school students in Cooperstown for this week voting to change their sports teams' nickname from Redskins. Students brought the proposal to the school board, correctly complaining the nickname is insulting to Native Americans. (A certain NFL franchise ought to follow suit.) Among possible new names: Deerslayers, Hawkeyes and Pathfinders.

Thumbs up for Pittsford Girl Scouts and residents, the latter of whom bought more than 1,500 boxes of cookies that were then donated to U.S. troops around the world. Donna Graen coordinated this year's effort, which brings the total boxes donated over 10 years to 10,000, or more than $35,000 worth of cookies.

Thumbs up for North Greece Fire Commissioner Ken Preston for being elected president of the Monroe County Fire District Officers Association at its 35th annual installation dinner last month. A volunteer firefighter for 50 years, Preston also serves on the Monroe County Fire Advisory Board.

Thumbs up for Chili Fitness Center members for raising $1,000 for a local family whose mother passed away over the holidays. The money and food donations were delivered by members to the father and three children.